Workspaces in buildings today consist of multiple electrical and electronic communication devices, such as computers, telephones, and the like that may be integrally connected to one another, and at the same time are electrically connected, wireless or by wire, to servers, databases and other equipment located at the central place in the building. These servers, databases and the like store, generate and transmit data, voice and video signals that must be transmitted through multiple communication cables to a user's workstation. Many buildings have adopted an open office architecture, where communications cables enter the building, are routed through risers to wiring closets located on the various floors of the building, and then across the air handling space between the original ceiling and a dropped false ceiling to an in-ceiling cable distribution enclosure, and then to a user's workstation. As additional and more powerful electronic devices are incorporated into existing communications networks to provide increased data through the network in a given building, it is important that the in-ceiling cable distribution enclosure be capable of supporting additional switching, routing and connection equipment that adds weight that must be supported by the enclosure. The enclosure must also be able to control the flow of and dissipate increasing amounts of heat as higher powered active communication equipment is housed in the enclosure. The enclosure must further be capable of managing an increased number of cables that are routed through the enclosure, and of routing the cables away from the air flow path in the enclosure.
Presently available in-ceiling zone cabling enclosures are not readily adapted to support the weight of additional switching and routing equipment necessary to support a typical workstation. Nor are presently available enclosures of the type described capable of efficiently directing the flow of the air in the enclosure and dissipating heat generated by the switching and other equipment located within the enclosure. Presently available enclosures also fail to provide sufficient structural strength to enable the proper and efficient management of the multitude of cables entering, connecting, and leaving the enclosure.
Therefore, there is a need for an in-ceiling zone cabling enclosure that is sufficiently robust to support, without congestion, the amount of communication switching, routing and cable equipment necessary to satisfy today's increasing demand for the availability of Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled ports through which voice, data and video are conveyed to a typical workstation. A need also exists for an enclosure of the type described that can accommodate high wattage networking equipment that can efficiently route and effectively dissipate heat from the enclosure, and then can deflect warm air leaving the enclosure away from cooling air entering the enclosure. A further need also exists for an enclosure that includes structure that provides room for additional cables, that allows the cables to be efficiently organized and installed pinch free, and that doesn't allow the cables in the enclosure to interfere with the thermal management air flow pattern inside the enclosure. Additionally, there is a need for an enclosure that is adapted to Support active zone cabling (TIA/EIA Standard 569) or passive equipment in the enclosure without the need for adding to or modifying the configuration of the enclosure.
A need also exists for an in-ceiling enclosure that relieves telecommunication room congestion and may even replace the telecommunication room, and provides a cost effective apparatus for deploying network infrastructure that increases network flexibility, accessibility and scalability, and supports centralized or distributed network switching and Fiber To The Zone (FTTZ) network infrastructure topology.
A need also exists for an enclosure of the type described that can be conveniently located in the air handling space above a drop ceiling, resulting in the ability to move network equipment closer to the work area and the ultimate user, while allowing faster and easier moves, adds and changes.